Printing mechanisms used in a variety of different products, such as plotters, facsimile machines and inkjet printers, for example, include mechanisms for controlling the amount of printing fluid that is deposited on media in order to print images. Some printing mechanisms use a printhead by which drops of printing fluid (for example ink, or fluids for transparent pre or post treatment, such as primers or varnishes) are deposited onto a page or sheet of print media. The performance of these printheads may become degraded by the build up residual ink. To clean and protect the printhead, typically a service station mechanism is mounted within the printer so the printhead can be serviced, for example cleaned.